Watch your children, parents told

THE National Office for Child and Family Services (NOCFS) is calling on parents, guardians and caregivers to make it their responsibility to know their children’s whereabouts.
NOCFS executive director Simon Yanis said this in response to a recent incident that saw the abuse of children and youths after being caught doing graffiti on properties in Port Moresby.
“Ensuring your children’s safety and well-being must be your most important and number one priority,” he told The National.
Yanis said if parents failed to do so, it could lead to children being abused and they could be charged and prosecuted under the Lukautim Pikinini Act 2015.
“It’s so sad and sickens me to read, hear and watch news about children been neglected and abused by adults or, even worse, their own family members.”
Yanis said these were crimes committed by people who were sick in the head.
He strongly condemned those types of inhuman acts.
“These kinds of people should not be in our communities, but should be punished and put away in prison for the rest of their lives,” he said.
The Government is serious about the protection and rights of children, therefore it has taken the right approach by establishing the NOCFS responsible to address issues.
“As a newly established office, 70 per cent of its function is focused on advocacy and awareness,” Yanis said.
“This is to create a better understanding on how children’s issue can be addressed and their rights are protected.”
But Yanis said the responsibility of protecting children and securing a better, brighter future for them was everyone’s business.
He has called for relevant stakeholders, responsible government agencies (district and provincial) and the National Government to work together to help reduce child abuse issues in the country.